Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

दुकूलैः स्वानुकूलैश्च चोलैः प्रत्यंगभूषणैः । नालंकृताः सुवासिन्य इहामुत्रसुवासदाः

Transliteration

dukūlaiḥ svānukūlaiśca colaiḥ pratyaṃgabhūṣaṇaiḥ | nālaṃkṛtāḥ suvāsinya ihāmutrasuvāsadāḥ

Translation

Je n’ai point paré les femmes de bonne conduite (suvāsinī) de vêtements précieux, d’étoffes convenables et d’ornements pour les membres—dons qui accordent bonne demeure et confort ici et dans l’au-delà.

Word by Word

• दुकूलैः: with fine garments
• दुकूलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुकूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• स्वानुकूलैः: with (their) own suitable (ones)
• स्वानुकूलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व-अनुकूल (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + अनुकूल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Instrumental plural adjective agreeing with दुकूलैः/चोलैः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चोलैः: with garments/robes
• चोलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• प्रत्यङ्गभूषणैः: with ornaments for each limb
• प्रत्यङ्गभूषणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-अङ्ग-भूषण (प्रातिपदिक; प्रति + अङ्ग + भूषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• अलंकृताः: adorned
• अलंकृताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अलंकृत (कृदन्त; अलं√कृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• सुवासिन्यः: well-dressed women
• सुवासिन्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुवासिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• अमुत्र: there (in the other world)
• अमुत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/परलोकवाचक अव्यय (adverb: there/in the other world)

• सुवासदाः: granting good dwelling/comfort
• सुवासदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-वास-द (प्रातिपदिक; सु + वास + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Nominative plural adjective)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa default dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A remorseful householder in Kāśī reflects on neglected charity: respectable women stand modestly, unadorned, while folded fine cloth and ornaments remain unused; in the background, ghāṭs and a distant Viśvanātha spire suggest Kāśī’s sacred setting.

Characters & Entities

• Suvāsinī (virtuous/married woman)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity expressed as dignifying support—clothing and adornment given appropriately—counts as dharma that returns as well-being and comfort across realms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context is Kāśī, but the verse itself highlights dāna-dharma rather than a particular shrine or ghat.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vastra-dāna and bhūṣaṇa-dāna—offering garments and ornaments (as respectful gifts) to suvāsinīs.